Plaque Photo Gallery
The Shawano Has History project logo.
The spring 2024 Leadership Shawano County Team working on the Shawano Has History Project – Greg Smith, Rande Bakeberg, Lindsay Kralovetz, Bethany Retzlaff, Mike Mehlberg, Michael Oberle (historical society representative), Ben Hartwig, and Olivia Schultz.
The Franklin School plaque, the first plaque installed on March 27, 2024 in Franklin Park. This plaque is sponsored by Pure Essence Salon in Shawano, WI.
The Franklin School plaque, the first plaque installed on March 27, 2024 in Franklin Park. This plaque is sponsored by Pure Essence Salon in Shawano, WI.
The Upham & Russell plaque, first plaque installed on a commercial business building. This plaque is sponsored by Dr. Amy Stuber of Cornerstone Chiropractic in Shawano, WI.
The Upham & Russell plaque, first plaque installed on a commercial business building. This plaque is sponsored by Dr. Amy Stuber of Cornerstone Chiropractic in Shawano, WI.
The Upham & Russell plaque, first plaque installed on a commercial business building. This plaque is sponsored by Dr. Amy Stuber of Cornerstone Chiropractic in Shawano, WI.
The Farmers Brewery plaque. This plaque is sponsored by the Hartwig family of Shawano, WI.
The Farmers Brewery plaque. This plaque is sponsored by the Hartwig family of Shawano, WI.
The Farmers Brewery plaque. This plaque is sponsored by the Hartwig family of Shawano, WI.
The Nagle Building plaque was installed on May 22, 2024 and is sponsored by Aaron and Erik Gilling of the Stubborn Brothers Brewery.
The Nagle Building plaque was installed on May 22, 2024 and is sponsored by Aaron and Erik Gilling of the Stubborn Brothers Brewery.
The Andrews & Klosterman and Naber Drug Store building plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Dreier family.
The Andrews & Klosterman and Naber Drug Store building plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Dreier family.
The Holtz Saloon building plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Dreier family.
The Holtz Saloon building plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Dreier family.
The Wavrunek Harness Shop plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Heather and David Pahl of Martin Jewellers.
The Wavrunek Harness Shop plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Heather and David Pahl of Martin Jewellers.
The Citizens State Bank building plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Heather and David Pahl of Martin Jewellers.
The Citizens State Bank building plaque was installed on July 23, 2024 and is sponsored by the Heather and David Pahl of Martin Jewellers.
The Murdock House plaque was installed on July 23, 2024. In the photo; Randy Murdock, Tom Murdock, Nancy Murdock Curtis, Todd Murdock, Chelsea Gilling, Abigael Wallrich, and Jodie Murdock Thompson.
The Murdock House plaque, the 9th Shawano Has History plaque to be installed, is located at 103 S. Main Street in Shawano, the home of The Stock Market and Fully Stocked.
The Nachtwey Livery Stable plaque, the 10th Shawano Has History plaque, was installed on August 15, 2024. Thank you to Jean Darling owner of Total Fitness and sponsor of this plaque.
The Nachtwey Livery Stable plaque, the 10th Shawano Has History plaque, was installed on August 15, 2024. Thank you to Jean Darling owner of Total Fitness and sponsor of this plaque.
The Kuckuk & Pulcifer Building plaque, the 11th Shawano Has History plaque, was installed on September 26, 2024. Thank you to Kelli and Justin Penfold, owners of the K&P Building and sponsors of this plaque.
The Kuckuk & Pulcifer Building plaque, the 11th Shawano Has History plaque, was installed on September 26, 2024.
The Chicago & Northwestern Depot plaque, the 12th Shawano Has History plaque, was installed on October 19, 2024. In the photo are; Richard Karth (Shawano County Friends of the Mountain Bay Trail) and Matty Mathison (Shawano Pathways).
The Chicago & Northwestern Depot plaque, the 12th Shawano Has History plaque, was installed on October 19, 2024.
The 13th Shawano Has History plaque was installed at 130 S. Main Street in Shawano, the home of Thornberry Cottage. Built in 1948, the building that Thornberry Cottage calls home is the Dehn’s Ice Cream Parlor building which was very popular with teenagers in the 1950’s and 60’s. Visit the plaque to read all the history. We want to thank the sponsors; Sue Petru and Suzette Hackl, owner of Thornberry Cottage.
The 13th Shawano Has History plaque was installed at 130 S. Main Street in Shawano, the home of Thornberry Cottage. Built in 1948, the building that Thornberry Cottage calls home is the Dehn’s Ice Cream Parlor building which was very popular with teenagers in the 1950’s and 60’s. Visit the plaque to read all the history.
The 14th Shawano Has History plaque was installed at 142 S. Main Street in Shawano, the home of The Avenue. Built in 1916 by George Ludolph, this building is historically know as Ludolph’s Grocery. Ludolph operated a store at this location from 1898 until the late 1930’s. We want to thank the Hartwig family for sponsoring this plaque! Special thanks to Trent Nolan of Nolan Signs for installing our plaques. We have one more plaque being installed and we’ll have more on order in 2025. In the photo: Diane Hartwig, Dan Hartwig, and Ben Hartwig
The 14th Shawano Has History plaque was installed at 142 S. Main Street in Shawano, the home of The Avenue. Built in 1916 by George Ludolph, this building is historically know as Ludolph’s Grocery. Ludolph operated a store at this location from 1898 until the late 1930’s. We want to thank the Hartwig family for sponsoring this plaque! Special thanks to Trent Nolan of Nolan Signs for installing our plaques. In the photo: descendants of George Ludolph – Megan Ludolph, Katie Ludolph, Emmett Ludolph, Aaron Ludolph, Gladys Ludolph, Tim Ludolph, Jerry Ludolph, Scott Bohm, Karen Ludolph, Steve Bohm, Ted Ludolph, Mike Bohm
The 14th Shawano Has History plaque was installed at 142 S. Main Street in Shawano, the home of The Avenue. Built in 1916 by George Ludolph, this building is historically know as Ludolph’s Grocery. Ludolph operated a store at this location from 1898 until the late 1930’s. We want to thank the Hartwig family for sponsoring this plaque! Special thanks to Trent Nolan of Nolan Signs for installing our plaques.
The 15th Shawano Has History plaque, for Schweers Hardware, was installed at 127 S. Main Street in Shawano, the current home of The War Bonnet. Built in 1890, immediately following the fire which took out several businesses on the west side of Main Street, this building was the home of Schweers Brothers Hardware, one of the earliest independent hardware retailers in Shawano. We want to thank the Schweers family for sponsoring this plaque!
The 15th Shawano Has History plaque, for Schweers Hardware, was installed at 127 S. Main Street in Shawano, the current home of The War Bonnet. Built in 1890, immediately following the fire which took out several businesses on the west side of Main Street, this building was the home of Schweers Brothers Hardware, one of the earliest independent hardware retailers in Shawano. We want to thank the Schweers family for sponsoring this plaque!
The 16th Shawano Has History plaque, the Wolf River Paper & Fiber Company, was installed at Sturgeon Park in Shawano. The plaque overlooks Shawano Specialty Papers – a division of Little Rapids Corporation, the sponsor of this plaque. The Wolf River Paper & Fiber Company started its business journey in 1891 as a pulp mill which added a paper mill in 1894. The mill became Shawano Paper Mills which was purchased by Little Rapids in the 1950’s. In this photo are representatives of Shawano Specialty Papers – a division of Little Rapids Corporation. Left to Right: Jessica Banker – SSP HR Olivia Schultz – SSP HR Stephanie Hobart – SSP Supply Chain Specialist Jason Kurszewski – SSP Director of Operations Angie Sheehan – Little Rapid CEO Michael Egan – Little Rapids Owner
The 16th Shawano Has History plaque, the Wolf River Paper & Fiber Company, was installed at Sturgeon Park in Shawano. The plaque overlooks Shawano Specialty Papers – a division of Little Rapids Corporation, the sponsor of this plaque. The Wolf River Paper & Fiber Company started its business journey in 1891 as a pulp mill which added a paper mill in 1894. The mill became Shawano Paper Mills which was purchased by Little Rapids in the 1950’s.
The 17th Shawano Has History plaque was installed on the Masonic Building at 201 S. Main Street in Shawano. We want to than the Masonic Lodge 170 in Shawano for sponsoring this plaque. Representatives of the lodge are shown with the plaque. Left to right; Dan Grosskreutz, Rusty Mitchell, Bill Mommaerts, Edward Kodai, Bill Ecke, and Jim Campbell. Masonic Lodge 170, Star of the Frontier, has enjoyed five homes, the first in a building owned by Herman Naber (present Dreier pharmacy). From 1876 to 1881 this facility was shared by the Odd Fellows. Then, in turn, the Odd Fellows invited the Lodge to share their new building constructed in 1880 where Senzig TV and Appliance Store called home when they were on Main St. In 1893 the Lodge built its own building which was sold to Chaimson’s in 1919. This building, on the southwest corner of Division and Main Streets, was purchased, remodeled, and dedicated in June 1922. The lodge called this building home for 89 years until 2010 when the building was sold and the Lodge 170 moved to 2324 East Richmond Street in Shawano.
The 17th Shawano Has History plaque was installed on the Masonic Building at 201 S. Main Street in Shawano. We want to than the Masonic Lodge 170 in Shawano for sponsoring this plaque. Masonic Lodge 170, Star of the Frontier, has enjoyed five homes, the first in a building owned by Herman Naber (present Dreier pharmacy). From 1876 to 1881 this facility was shared by the Odd Fellows. Then, in turn, the Odd Fellows invited the Lodge to share their new building constructed in 1880 where Senzig TV and Appliance Store called home when they were on Main St. In 1893 the Lodge built its own building which was sold to Chaimson’s in 1919. This building, on the southwest corner of Division and Main Streets, was purchased, remodeled, and dedicated in June 1922. The lodge called this building home for 89 years until 2010 when the building was sold and the Lodge 170 moved to 2324 East Richmond Street in Shawano.
The Shawano Has History Project
The Shawano Has History Project began in April 2022 when Ben and Diane Hartwig visited the Shawano County Historical Society looking to bring plaques to historic buildings in Shawano. These plaques would tell visitor about the history of the property, businesses, and owners.
After Ben Hartwig visited London and found plaques on their historic properties, he wondered if this type of project could happen in Shawano. This was the impetus that would become the Shawano Has History Project, a partnership between the Shawano County Historical Society, Leadership Shawano County teams, the Business Improvement District of Shawano, the City of Shawano, and Chamber of Commerce.
With many of its original buildings dating from the late 1800’s to mid-1900’s, Shawano’s business district was included on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. This foundation makes it straightforward for the project to choose relevant historic properties. After researching projects like this in other cities, the team decided to develop plaques that contain text describing the history of the property, a historic photograph, and a QR code that would lead the visitors to a page on the Shawano County Historical Society’s website with further information. The cast bronze plaques are supplied by Franklin Plaques in Franklin, PA. If you travel in the USA, you might have seen plaques like these in other communities.
It took almost two years to research the historic properties, develop the website, and information for the plaques. By January 2024, after several meetings with the Business Improvement District, we started taking donations and looking for plaque sponsors. The first plaque for the Upham & Russell Building on the corner of Division and Main Streets with Cornerstone Chiropractic being the sponsor. Others followed and by the end of 2024 we will have 18 plaques installed with 5 others looking for sponsors. The project is fortunate to have people and businesses coming forward to fund plaques in the community. One of those, the Franklin School plaque in Franklin Park, is sponsored by Pure Essence Salon in Shawano. Roots run deep in Shawano with many of the families tied to businesses in downtown Shawano from over 100 years ago still in the area. A couple have come forward to sponsor plaques; most notably, Schweer and Ludolph family members.
We’ve researched forty properties that span the City of Shawano, which are listed on the Shawano County Historical Society’s website. The Leadership Shawano County Team is involved in fund raising and promotion. They met with TV, radio, and newspaper media outlets and raised funds at Thursdays in Franklin Park and through plaque walking tours. In the future we hope to continue to add properties in the city and expand the project to Shawano County.